Contents

Summary

Create a web 2.0 online collaborative SVG Map creator tool with the wikipedia map conventions, this by expanding OpenStreetMap set of tools (icons, styles), and integrate it within wikimedia.

Proposal

Instead of ten thousands of maps keep as separate PNG, JPG, SVG files on commons, collaborate with the Free project OpenStreetMap to create an Encyclopedic OpenStreetMap : an online and collaborative SVG map creator tool. In this project, the Wikimedia foundation, the OpenStreetMap community, and the Graphic Lab map conventions (some conventional styles and conventional icons) may contribute. Actually, OSM and the German Wikimedia already have a ~15.000 US$ collaboration for road style maps integration to Wikipedia.

Maps draw on this Encyclopedic OSM may be thus called into wikipedia articles by such syntaxe :

Ease reader' understanding of our maps, by reducing the map styles to some conventions ;

Increase the graphic indentity of Wikipedias ;

Get more pro ;

Key Questions

Is it needed?

YES. We currently work in an archaic web 1.0 way. Like Google with its Google Map, and like OpenStreetMap did, we do need to move to this web 2.0 way to draw maps. Sooner or later. So, don't waste time : we can launch this now !

Or are there freely available software out there that can already do the same thing?

OpenStreetMap is already free, SVG friendly, but have been only think for road maps. Expansion is need for the 7 major wiki styles. Collaboration is possible, is already started.

Potential Costs

programmers' times ;

money (from Greenspun project ?) ;

Wikigraphists' time ;

Sacrifice some local convention to the benefice of the whole (all wikipedias) project ;